


You don't think

by arachnid_writes, jadethestone



Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Big Bro Raph, Brotherly Love, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Includes Art, Injury, Medic Leo, Protective Raph, Recovery, Tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:54:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29179836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arachnid_writes/pseuds/arachnid_writes, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jadethestone/pseuds/jadethestone
Summary: As Raph is getting bandaged up by Leo after a big fight, he notices that something is bothering his little brother. And his big brother instincts are telling him he's gotta find out what.
Relationships: Leonardo & Raphael (TMNT)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 162





	You don't think

**Author's Note:**

> A few months back a sequence of artwork that told a story was drawn, and a fellow creator decided to make it into a fic. We worked together to bring you this. We hope you enjoy!
> 
> Art by jadethest0ne  
> Story by arachnid_writes and jadethest0ne

“Stop moving, I can’t wrap your arm properly if you don’t hold still.”

Raph groaned, a little agitated, but he sat still as Leo asked. Instead, he rested his head on his palm, tapping his fingers on his cheek to get rid of some of that restless energy.

“How much longer do you think this is gonna take?” he asked, growing a little impatient. Leo had already taken care of most of his injuries by now, like the cut on his left cheek and the matching one on his leg, as well as those around his middle and thigh. He may have some trouble walking for a bit, but he wasn’t the only one needing care.

Leo huffed, wrapping the bandage a little too tight before mumbling a half-hearted apology. “I’d be done by now if you hadn’t gotten so banged up,” he remarked.

Raph frowned, put off by Leo's tone. His eye ridges furrowed as he peeked over his shoulder to look at his little brother. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Leo looked up and met his eyes, something shifting in his expression before he looked back down and glared at his hands. “Forget it, it doesn’t mean anything,” he muttered.

And maybe Raph should’ve listened to him and left it alone, or waited before asking him again when the agitation in the air wasn’t so palpable. When they all weren’t still tired over the fight they had just gotten out of.

Alas, his big brother instincts were telling him not to let it go, and he’s never been one to think too critically about his actions has he?

“No, I’m not gonna ‘forget it,’” he said, allowing himself to sound more stern. “You’re upset, and I wanna know why.”

He watched as Leo grit his teeth. “I’m not upset, Raph, just drop it.”

“C’mon, Leo. Why are you mad?” he decided to ask. “Is it because I moved my arm?”

“No.”

Raph frowned. “Is it the wrapping? Is it too flimsy or something?”

Leo exhaled carefully, the hand with the roll resting on his arm. “No, Raph. The wrapping is fine.”

“Will we not have enough wrapping for our brothers? If that’s the case, you should check on them. Or yourself. Because I don’t think--”

“ _No_! You don’t think, Raph! That’s the problem!” Leo’s outburst startled the snapper. Before Raph could respond, words started pouring out of Leo’s mouth, as if his exclamation had opened up a dam.

“You don’t think when you just run headfirst into a fight, not knowing what we’re facing or what could hurt you! Like today, you just thought you could power through all that debris and the _walls of concrete_ that that mutant was throwing our way!” 

Raph looks away because he's heard this before. Their whole thing is total chaos and no plan; he'd think Leo knew that by now. Thinking wasn't exactly their thing. And he could take damage like a boss! Sure he might get a little banged up, but it’s nothing that a big, tough turtle like him couldn’t handle. But still Leo continued.

“And then you, just--- just stupidly put yourself in between us and the fight! You gotta stop trying to do everything yourself, and let us handle things sometimes!”

At this Raph looked back to Leo with some concern. “If you’re worried about me not trusting you, I really _do_. I’m just putting my own tough shell to use! You know I can take a hit!”

“This isn’t _about trust_ , Raph! It’s about you not even thinking about what happens when you do stuff like that!”

At this Raph turned away again. This was worse than that time that Donnie gave him that helmet that yelled at him about making plans. He started to mentally shut off this topic of conversation and just let Leo get it out of his system.

"You don't think about the kind of danger you put yourself in! _You don't think_ about how much Mikey would just as easily fling himself into danger to prove that he doesn't need your protection. _You don't think_ about how much it _scares_ Donnie when he sees you get hurt. _You don't think_ about how _guilty_ I feel to know that I can't-- I can't--" Leo's voice cracked and Raph could feel a warm touch on his shoulder in addition to Leo's hands.

Raph turned toward his younger brother to see Leo's head resting on his shoulder, though if it was to hide his expression or because he was trying to seek comfort from him he couldn't tell. A choked sob escaped Leo's throat and he continued in a wavering breathy voice. "..to know that I can't do anything about it except help patch you up when you've already gotten yourself hurt."

Raph’s eyes widened with the sudden realization that by trying to protect his brothers in the way that he does all the time, he was putting them through the exact same scenario that would terrify him. He's the one getting hurt, and they're the one feeling the kind of fear and guilt that would consume him if any of them got hurt. He was protecting them in one way, but hurting them in another.

Tears started forming in the corners of Leo’s eyes, but Leo pulled away as if to prevent them from touching Raph’s bandages. Still wracked with emotions, he began to curl in on himself and shrunk away from Raph.

Before he could let his crying little brother get any farther away from him, Raph opened up his arms, wrapped them around Leo, and gently pulled him into a giant bear hug.

He spoke gently. "You're right, Leo, I didn't think. I'm sorry."

Leo stilled at those words at first, but then pushed himself deeper into the hug, continuing to cry and shake quietly into Raph’s plastron, as if allowing himself to let out his emotions, but still listening to what Raph had to say. So Raph continued.

“It was true what I said about how I trust you guys to do your thing. It’s just, I have a hard time with… trusting _me_ to keep you all safe! But didn’t think about how not keeping me safe was something that would affect you guys, too.”

Raph took a deep breath in and out, looking over Leo’s head, mulling over his next choice of words. When he was ready, he slightly pulled away from the hug, just enough to allow them to look at each other. He made sure to wait until Leo had met his gaze to speak.

"I can't promise that I won't _completely_ stop putting myself in between you guys and danger. But I _can_ promise that I'll be more careful. And maybe you guys can remind me if I’m not… er… thinking again until I get better at that. Is that okay with you…?"

A teary smile spread on Leo’s face and he let out a wet laugh. “That’s okay with me, brother.” He gave Raph a good-natured pat, and Raph returned the small affectionate gesture with another one of his big, and this time teary-eyed, hugs. They stayed like that until the two of them had composed themselves before seeing to the rest of their family and settling down for a movie marathon in the evening.

While they were watching their “Best of Jupiter Jim'' playlist, Raph made sure to think about what Leo had said. He made sure to praise Mikey for all the amazing things he had done in the fight, and also made sure to compliment his homemade caramel corn that they were eating during the marathon. He made sure to stick a little closer to Donnie - not to overcrowd him or anything; just to give him little supportive nudges and stay in his line of sight in order to let the softshell know he was there and safe. As for Leo, he let the slider dote on him a little bit; let him adjust his pillows or check on his bandages or get him something to drink. And of course he made sure to laugh at his jokes, as dumb as they were, though Raph supposed that that is what made them funny.

In the end, Raph would do just about anything for his brothers. And if that meant adding his own safety to the equation, then he'd be sure to do that, too.


End file.
